FINAL EXAM - TRUE OR FALSE

Introduction to Comparative Health Policies in ASEAN

• The course "Comparative Health Policies in ASEAN" (SEAS 103i) is introduced by Dennis B. Batangan, M.D., M.Sc. (Heid) from Ateneo de Manila University.
• The course covers the social phenomenon of health and its related policies in ASEAN.

Health as a Social Phenomenon

• The right to health is a fundamental human right recognized by the Philippine Constitution (1987) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 12.1).
• The "intent of the framers" of the Philippine Constitution was to make health care more preventive in orientation rather than curative.
• Health inequities arise from patterns of social stratification, including unequal distribution of power, prestige, and resources among groups in society.
• Health disparities refer to differences in health conditions and health status between groups based on factors such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender, disability, and geographic location.

Health Development Index and Life Expectancy

• The Health Development Index (HDI) and life expectancy at birth are compared among ASEAN countries.
• The Philippines lags behind its ASEAN neighbors in terms of health outcomes, including life expectancy at birth.

Mortality Rates and Health Outcomes

• Mortality rates of selected diseases are compared among Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
• The Philippines has higher mortality rates compared to its ASEAN neighbors.
• Health outcomes in the Philippines are lagging behind those of its ASEAN neighbors.

Reconfiguring Primary Health Care

• The study "Reconfiguring Primary Health Care" highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to primary health care.
• The study recommends capacity-building of health workers, strengthening of local health boards, and financing mechanisms to ensure benefits delivery.

Declining Immunization Rates

• Immunization rates in the Philippines have declined from 88% in 2013 to less than 70% in 2018.
• This decline is a major concern for public health in the Philippines.

Health Services

• Health services include prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation
• These services can be delivered in the home, community, workplace, or health facilities
• Priorities include packages, delivery models, infrastructure, management, safety, and quality, as well as demand for care

Health Workforce

• A well-performing health workforce is responsive, fair, and efficient to achieve the best health outcomes
• Health workers include all people engaged in actions whose primary intent is to protect and improve health
• This includes public and private sector health workers, paid and unpaid workers, and lay and professional cadres
• Priorities include national workforce policies, investment plans, advocacy, norms, standards, and data

Health Information

• A well-functioning health information system ensures the production, analysis, dissemination, and use of reliable and timely information on health determinants, health system performance, and health status
• The system has three domains: health determinants, health systems performance, and health status
• Priorities include facility and population-based information and surveillance systems, as well as global standards and tools

Medical Products, Vaccines, and Technologies

• A well-functioning health system ensures equitable access to essential medical products, vaccines, and technologies of assured quality, safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness
• Priorities include ensuring scientifically sound and cost-effective use of these products and technologies

Health System

• A health system comprises all organizations, institutions, and resources devoted to producing health actions
• It includes the delivery of health services, activities that enable health service delivery, and stewardship activities
• Health systems are considered intermediate social determinants of health

Service Delivery

• Good health services deliver effective, safe, quality personal and non-personal health interventions to those who need them
• Priorities include norms, standards, policies, reliable procurement, equitable access, and quality

Health Financing

• A good health financing system raises adequate funds for health, ensuring people can access needed services without financial catastrophe or impoverishment
• The system has three interrelated functions: revenue collection, pooling of pre-paid revenues, and purchasing or payment for services
• Priorities include national health financing policies, tools, and data on health expenditures, and costing

Leadership/Governance/Stewardship

• Effective leadership and governance involve strategic policy frameworks, oversight, coalition-building, regulation, and accountability
• Priorities include national policies, investment plans, advocacy, norms, and standards

ASEAN Overview

• Founded on August 8, 1967, by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand
• Enlarged to include Brunei Darussalam (1984), Viet Nam (1995), Lao PDR and Myanmar (1997), and Cambodia (1999)
• ASEAN Charter established on December 15, 2008
• Ultimate goal: Achieve the ASEAN Community by 2015

Three Pillars of ASEAN

• ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC)
• ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)
• ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC)

ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community

• Committed to lifting the quality of life of its people by prioritizing their welfare and well-being
• Blueprint 2025 aims to promote the development of a strong healthcare industry in the region
• Strategic measures include:
  • Developing private healthcare markets and public-private partnerships in universal healthcare
  • Harmonizing standards and conformance in healthcare products and services
  • Promoting health tourism and e-healthcare services
  • Strengthening health insurance systems in the region
  • Facilitating the mobility of healthcare professionals
  • Developing an ASEAN regulatory framework for traditional medicines and health supplements

ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda

• 2016-2020 agenda focuses on improving healthcare in the region
• Challenges include:
  • Sovereignty of member states
  • Economic diversity
  • Varying regulatory capabilities

Demographic Shift in ASEAN

• Proportion of population by various age groups is changing
• Transition to an ageing population
• Top three challenges facing ASEAN include:
  • Managing the impact of demographic changes
  • Addressing economic disparities
  • Ensuring social cohesion

ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda (APHDA) 2021-2025

• Vision: A Healthy, Caring, and Sustainable ASEAN Community
• Mission: Ensure a healthy, caring, and sustainable ASEAN Community by promoting healthy lifestyles, responding to all hazards and emerging threats, strengthening health systems and access to care, and ensuring food safety

Four Health Clusters

• AHC 1: Promoting healthy lifestyles • Goals: Achieve health potential of ASEAN Community through promoting healthy lifestyle, ensure healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages • Health Priorities: • Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases • Reduction of tobacco consumption and harmful use of alcohol • Prevention of Injuries • Promotion of Occupational Health • Promotion of Mental Health • Promotion of Healthy and Active Ageing • Promotion of Good Nutrition and Healthy Diet

AHC 2: Responding to All Hazards and Emerging Threats

• Goals: • Promote resilient health system in response to communicable diseases, emerging infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, and zoonotic diseases • Enhance regional preparedness and response to public health emergencies and ensure effective disaster health management in the region • Prepare and respond to environmental health threats and other hazards, including health impacts of climate change in the region
• Health Priorities: • Prevention and control of communicable diseases, emerging infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, and zoonotic diseases • Regional preparedness and response to public health emergencies • Strengthening laboratory capacity • Combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) • Environmental health, health impact assessment (HIA), and health impact of climate change • Disaster health management

AHC 3: Strengthening Health System and Access to Care

• Goals: • Provide ASEAN Community with universal access to safe, affordable, quality, holistic health care and essential medical supplies, including traditional and complementary medicines • Advance health care deliveries by adapting and working towards innovation and digital health technology • Promote health care delivery to vulnerable populations, such as women, children, and migrant workers among others
• Health Priorities: • Traditional & Complementary Medicine • Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health • Universal Health Coverage, including health financing and health service delivery • Migrants’ health • Pharmaceutical development • Human Resources for Health • Digital health and health information system

AHC 4: Ensuring Food Safety

• Goals: • Promote access to safe food • Strengthen food safety risk analysis in ASEAN
• Health Priority: Food safety